Neeraj Chopra swaps javelin for table tennis paddle during Switzerland retreat

New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) India’s golden boy Neeraj Chopra traded his javelin for a ping pong paddle in the middle of his Switzerland getaway. The Olympic medallist kicked off his scenic break in Zurich, getting into friendly matches and experiencing the thrill of paragliding amidst the picturesque landscapes.

After his disappointing eighth-place finish at the World Championships in Tokyo last month, Neeraj took a brief respite from his athletic pursuits and is enjoying a scenic break in Switzerland.

Neeraj jumped into a spontaneous game of table tennis and walked away with some wins. Afterwards he strolled along the Viadukt, Zurich’s artsy-cool repurposed railway line, before heading up the Freitag tower, a stacked shipping containers in Zurich-West, for city views that clearly left an impression.

“Trying out ping pong for the first time at Josefwiese was a fun experience! I’ve always loved a bit of friendly competition, and this was a great way to switch things up. It was light-hearted, energetic, and the park setting made it even better.

"After the match, we walked along the Viadukt, which really shows a different side of Zurich creative, modern, and full of character. Reaching the Freitag tower and climbing to the top, the view of Zurich-West was next level, puri city ekdum khoobsurat lag rahi thi. It’s moments like these that make Zurich feel special every time I visit," Neeraj said of his experiences.

He later made his way to the fairytale village of Murren, where he enjoyed a paragliding over the village. “Paragliding over Mürren was honestly surreal. Flying high above those charming little chalets, lush valleys, and cascading waterfalls felt like something out of a dream, 'har angle se picture-perfect!' And after landing, I had the most relaxing lunch at Panorama Restaurant in Allmendhubel. The food was delicious, but it’s the mountain view that truly stayed with me. Pure peace!"

--IANS

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